In an effort to reconcile Davidson College’s history with slavery, the college has enlisted artist Hank Willis Thomas to create a monumental sculpture called With These Hands. Developed with the help of the architects at Perkins & Will, the work strives to honor the exploited hands of the enslaved laborers who created some of the first buildings on Davidson’s campus. The sculpture will sit at the front of campus, in between Oak and Elm, two of those first buildings, and it will be visible from Main Street. In conjunction with the sculpture itself, Perkins&Will has created a space that interacts with the artwork, fostering a sense of belonging in which students can find refuge.
“This is a very kind of important time in American history where we are actually learning how to reconcile with the past, especially not the prettiest and most honorable parts of the past.”
HANK WILLIS THOMAS
The two hands depicted in the sculpture are designed to be gender ambiguous, in an effort to represent all of the enslaved people who served the college. Emerging from the ground itself, Thomas is creating both a metaphorical and literal relationship between the hands and the soil on which Davidson stands. It’s almost as if the hands are scooping the dirt out of the ground and by association lifting the college up. The placement of the memorial serves to remind viewers of the sites where these people labored and their role in fostering the Davidson College we know today.
Hank Willis Thomas emphasizes the importance of the memorial as a vehicle to guide the viewer through the difficult history of Davidson’s origins. Commemoration Committee Chair Virgil Fludd ‘80 notes that “the hands transcend Davidson, from its beginnings today to the future.” Fludd also explores how the memorial honors the enslaved people who created Davidson and opens conversations about how we can honor enslaved people across the nation as individuals.
To learn more about the project and hear from those involved, check out the videos below!